Care and Cultural Planning

Introduction

The Care Plan for children and young people in statutory out-of-home care has been redesigned, with the latest version coming into effect on Monday 9 January 2017.

To help deliver culturally appropriate care to Aboriginal and culturally and linguistically diverse children and young people, the redesigned Care Plan includes 'Cultural Plans' to ensure children preserve their cultural identity as well as their connection to culture and family.

The Care Plan is presented by FACS to the Children’s Court, after extensive consultation with the child or young person, their parents and family, the carers, the non-government organisation (if they hold case management responsibility), and any other people involved in the care and cultural planning
for the child.

In developing the redesigned Care and Cultural Plan, there has been Extensive consultation with and also feedback received from:

Parents and Carers

the President of the Children’s Court,

frontline staff (this includes Managers and caseworkers both within FACS and from Non Government Community partners)

children and young people,

Peaks bodies including AbSec, ACWA

Legal stakeholders

To support caseworkers with this important work we have developed this new website to ensure the successful implementation of the Care Plan.

The Care Plan has been redesigned to be user-friendly for caseworkers, including features such as:

auto-population of family details to relevant sections throughout the Care Plan

the inclusion of information buttons to support caseworkers and stimulate ideas for better practice

spell check

The Care Plan supports successful accreditation by clearly documenting cultural information in the child's care records. It will record how children will stay connected to their culture and maintain their identity, as well detail how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people are
placed in accordance with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Placement Principles.